Thanks for clearing that up!

Per this AP report at the NYT site, it appears the State Senate committee charged with investigating Hiram Monserrate’s misdemeanor assault conviction for possible Senate disciplinary action will be recommending Monserrate’s censure…or expulsion. Well, that pretty much covers all the options, doesn’t it?

Legislative officials say a special New York Senate committee is recommending either censuring or expelling a senator following his misdemeanor assault conviction.

The officials are familiar with the report and spoke on condition of anonymity because they are not authorized to speak publicly. They say the decision leaves fate of Sen. Hiram Monserrate (MAHN’-suh-raht) in the hands of the full Senate.

Key takeaway: the full Senate will have to make the choice. But even if the Senate votes to expel him, Monserrate may get to go to court again:

Monserrate says he won’t give up his job even if the Senate expels him. A lawyer for the Queens Democrat, Joseph Tacopina (tack-oh-PEE’-nah), has said there’s no legal foundation for expulsion.

According to Tacopina, our state constitution may be too fuzzy on the matter of expelling sitting senators. Sound familiar? I don’t think I buy Tacopina’s argument, but the fact that he can make the argument at all makes that whole constitutional convention idea sound better and better, doesn’t it?